“Black Mirror”: U.K. vs U.S.

If any of you have watched the show Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker, you know it’s not a show to watch when you want something light-hearted. That’s not to say it’s not incredible: in fact, I find it to be one of the most pertinent and poignant television series of our time. The concept and structure is not entirely revolutionary; in fact, it is often described as a modern day twist on The Twilight Zone, utilizing both its anthology structure and suspenseful nature. Black Mirror maintains its consistency by having one key concept at its core: it looks at…

View Post

Why You Should Watch “Bojack Horseman”

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am obsessed with Netflix’s adult animated TV series Bojack Horseman. Today’s post centers on why this show has become a surprising all-time-favourite of mine, and why I think everyone should give it a chance. Oftentimes, people assume that animated shows won’t be “adult” enough, as there is a subconscious association of cartoons with kids or “child-like” material. Of course, classic shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, and Futurama are a few examples of just how adult cartoons can be. Recent examples are Archer, Bob’s Burgers, and Big Mouth, and that’s…

View Post

5 Best Science Fiction Shows to Watch on a Sick Day

This time of the year is notorious for bringing in the worst kinds of germs. While we’re desperately waiting for spring to arrive and don our lighter jackets in the hopes that we can will warmer weather our way, we prime ourselves for catching that final bug of the season. You cannot get through a single bus ride without hearing incessant sniffling or muffled coughs. And just when you think you have evaded the misery of a cold or flu, someone sneezes on you while you’re riding the subway and you know, with an impending sense of doom, that there…

View Post

Rise of the Anti-Hero

SPOILER ALERT – The Punisher Season 1 Antihero: a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes. The popularity of the antihero is not a particularly new concept. Having a main character that is undeniably flawed has always been appealing. Think James Bond, Magneto, Jay Gatsby, or reflecting to Shakespeare’s time, Macbeth, Hamlet, or Othello. In more recent media there’s Deadpool, Rick Grimes, or Dexter Morgan. So, what are the features that make these characters so compelling? To start, it’s worth noting that a markedly imperfect, morally ambiguous character is often a more two-dimensional one.…

View Post